Latest news with #Bodrum
The Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Madcap Chechen warlord Kadyrov ‘nearly DROWNS' at 5-star Turkey hotel after ‘falling out with Putin and fleeing Russia'
ONE of Putin's top henchmen nearly drowned on Thursday while on holiday in Turkey, reports have claimed. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov is said to have lost consciousness after entering the water for a swim. 5 5 5 It is understood to have happened at a five-star hotel in the Kaynar district of Bodrum. Hotel staff and coastguard officers went to his aid when they noticed he was in distress. The madcap warlord was pulled ashore and taken to hospital after first aid was administered. He was rushed to a private clinic, where his condition was later said to be stable. The warlord is reported to not be in a "life-threatening condition". However, Chechen authorities have not yet put out an official statement. Kadyrov rules over the region of Chechnya, where he has been widely accused of major human rights violations including extrajudicial killings and torture. The 48-year-old has long been a supporter of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, and has sent tens of thousands of troops to support the brutal invasion of Ukraine. But the warlord's ailing health has been the subject of widespread speculation in recent months. Kadyrov reportedly attempted to resign his position in May, but his request was refused by Putin. The Sun previously reported that the Chechen leader was "preparing to flee Russia" - and had put his 17-year-old son in charge of the police. Relations between Putin and Kadyrov are believed to have nosedived in recent months. Kadyrov was reported to have undertaken "unsanctioned discussions" with officials from several Middle Eastern countries about his assets and family's future. This was despite such discussions not being approved by Moscow. But Kadyrov is now believed to be suffering from severe kidney and pancreatic issues, Novaya Gazeta Europe reported. The Chechen warlord wants his son to take over from him - but reportedly does not trust that Putin will honour this. Investigative journalist Andrey Kalitin previously said: "The Kremlin has two or three candidates. "Ramzan Kadyrov has one. His name is Adam, he is 17 years old, he has more than 15 awards." But even if Putin appointed Adam, a regency-style arrangement would be required until he is 30 under Russian laws. Kadyrov himself inherited rule of Chechnya from his father Akhmad. His father had originally been a Chechen separatist but later switched sides to support Russia. 5 5
Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Welcome to Scorpios, summer's hottest beach hangout
Sunday afternoon on the Bodrum coast and Scorpios is purring. Girls in Hunza G bikinis take selfies with their Loewe raffia handbags; a man in Hawaiian print Vilebrequin swim shorts tokes on a slim cigar. Everywhere, buttocks veiled in crocheted kaftans are Pilates-toned and gleaming, and pedicured toes slip in and out of Vuitton sliders. Waiters and waitresses in sandstone linens zigzag nimbly through the crowd carrying plates of ceviche, while a DJ revs up on the decks. In the Aegean Sea beyond, superyachts bob indolently in the breeze. This is not just any bougie beach club — in fact, these coveted sunloungers mark the expansion of a glittering empire. If you've ever worn a Melissa Odabash kaftan, you've probably heard of Scorpios Mykonos, the ur-beach club founded in 2015 by the German hedonists turned hospitality moguls Thomas Heyne and Mario Hertel. It was named after the Mykonos private island where Jackie Onassis used to summer, and the vibes are legendary: small plates and ice-cool spritzes, DJs playing music while guests dance on the soft sands, admire the sorbet-coloured sunset or do some people-watching from behind cat-eye shades (Mick Jagger and Brad Pitt have visited). Scorpios Bodrum is hoping to do the same on this part of the Aegean coast — basically, to reinvent the beach club, again. Even if Heyne — charming and loquacious, looking every inch the hospitality guru with his deep tan and mirrored sunglasses — hates the term. 'Look, basically I don't like the word 'beach club'.' He laughs. This is only, he hastens to add, because he thinks there's much more to Scorpios than that. 'Our main pillars are food, drinks, music.' They run a music label that supports emerging artists and DJs, and a bazaar to sell the work of craftspeople scouted from around the world. 'We are not a simple beach club. We are much more.' He and Hertel spent 20 years working in the nightclub business, initially in Berlin. But the party lifestyle had hollowed them out: they were sick of hangovers that lasted weeks and the thudding monotony of EDM. They suspected some of their clientele might feel the same way. 'We realised that people not only like going out, they also want to do something good for their mind, for their body, for their soul — not coming home needing two weeks' holiday from the holidays.' • Inside Scorpios – the coolest beach club on Mykonos They opened in Mykonos, and shifted the rules of the party. 'We brought it from inside to outside, from a late-night experience to a 'whole day into the early night' experience.' At Scorpios, the night ends at midnight. 'So the next day is your friend.' To press the point, they also threw in a dollop of woo-woo — sound healing, gong baths, ecstatic dance. In Bodrum they're expanding this programme. High on the hill above the bay, Scorpios Bodrum extends into a network of 12 bungalows with infinity pools where guests can stay, a restaurant with a terrace that catches the evening light — and the Ritual Space, an airy stone room lit by skylights set into a high ceiling (imagine if Jacquemus designed a temple). Here, you can do what Heyne calls 'holistic' wellness — ie sound healing and breathwork — as well as 'biohacking' via treatments such as IV drips, or a sauna and cold plunge. Usually I'd rather spontaneously combust than do a gong bath. But when in Bodrum … so I sign up for 'a transformative journey through sound and spirit', which basically involves freestyle dancing (oh God), then lying on the ground trying to 'feel present' while listening to gongs and chanting (oh God). My instructors are lissom, glossy, dressed in the sort of simple clothes that come with unsimple price tags. But 20 minutes into the session I am letting my body move to the music. Really move — sway and stomp and shimmy to the pulsing drumbeats. Around me, people in acid-bright Alo Yoga co-ords find their own groove … I think: after five minutes I close my eyes and lose myself to dance. I have surrendered to the cult of Scorpios. Still, it's a relief to be back on the terrace again sipping a fennel margarita. A few smartphones are pointed at the sunset — 'Every location we scout the first thing is, where's the sunset?' Heyne says — but mostly lenses are trained on the people who are here to see and be seen. He adds there is no such thing as an 'ideal' Scorpios customer: 'Everybody's welcome. Our philosophy is, treat it like everybody's the same. If you have one euro or if you're a billionaire.' • This fashion editor's pick for a chic family holiday? It's Marbs Surveying the crowd, I would say they have overindexed on beautiful people, who — as golden hour settles over the terrace — look like they are shimmering. The number of statement bags on tables indicates a fairly conspicuous level of wealth. Scorpios could be tacky but toes the right line: staff wear Grecian dresses or slouchy smocks; cocktails are complex and dishes involve local ingredients. Nothing arrives with a sparkler sticking out of it; nothing happens behind a velvet rope. 'Beautiful people, really cool people, are attracting all the other people, who are booking the more expensive things,' Heyne says. He insists Scorpios is for families too. 'We want to have families, parents coming with their parents and with their kids.' (Mercifully I see only one during my stay.) Heyne scouted the site when he was on holiday in Bodrum with his own family. On a boat trip he passed by a peninsula, 'and I said, 'Wow, what a location.' I called everybody — 'Hey, do you know who owns this?' ' It remained a mystery, until a year later when a friend called and asked if he was still interested in the site. 'Two weeks later I found myself in the office of the tourist minister of Turkey. I'm talking to him because he is a hotelier and has the peninsula under control.' Luckily for us, they struck a deal. 'It's a top location,' he says. 'I think it's cooking now.' • What to shop for every holiday — from Greece to south Devon He and Hertel won't stop with Bodrum: the next stages in the Scorpios expansion are sites in Tulum, Dubai and Athens, as well as adding villas to Mykonos. All the new Scorpios will have rooms. 'We wanted to give at least a couple of people the chance to have, instead of a 12-hour experience, a 24-hour experience.' I spend a decent part of my 36ish-hour experience drifting between my infinity pool and vast outdoor bath. In Dubai they will have medinas with 'amazing living rooms, sea views … the architecture of it is very much inspired by the movie Dune'. Back in Bodrum and Monday afternoon is definitely 'cooking'. Three girls in black swimwear do a synchronised dive into the deep while a fourth films it on her phone. Every sunlounger and table is occupied. Buggies shuttle people between the bungalows and the sea and back again, while helicopters and PJs crisscross the cloudless sky, drowned out by the sound of the music at the club. • The best luxury resortwear for women More than just your basic beach club, then. 'We went to ChatGPT and said that we are offering this and this and this, and it said you are like a 'luxury hospitality lifestyle brand',' Heyne recounts. Or maybe it's just Scorpios.
Al Bawaba
2 days ago
- Al Bawaba
Dilan Çıtak hits Police officer in Bodrum—shots fired to stop her
ALBAWABA - Dilan Çıtak caused chaos in Bodrum after hitting a police officer and defying stop orders. This afternoon in Bodrum, a shocking event happened: Dilan Çıtak, the daughter of famous Turkish singer İbrahim Tatlıses, got into a fight with police after allegedly breaking the law and trying to leave the scene of the crime. The argument got so bad that cops had to shoot in the air to stop her. At the Yeni Hastanesi intersection on Atatürk Boulevard in the Konacık area, the dramatic event took place. Witnesses and early police accounts say that Çıtak was seen driving a pickup truck in the emergency lane, which is a very bad thing to do. When police arrived and asked to see her driver's license and car registration, she reportedly refused to cooperate and tried to drive off. Photo from social media In a shocking change of events, Çıtak is said to have sped her car toward one of the officers who had told her to stop. They made contact, which immediately raised concerns about public safety. Quickly, the cops pulled out their weapons and told her to get out of the car. Instead of following the instructions, she allegedly started the car again, which caused police to fire warning shots into the air to keep her from getting away and to protect people nearby. The situation quickly got the attention of the media, and several reporters showed up on the scene. It was said that Çıtak got angry at reporters for filming the event because they looked upset. In a strange series of events, she got out of her truck, quickly got into another car, then went back to her own truck and locked herself inside. Several police teams showed up to keep the scene under control. In the end, the police were able to get Çıtak to get out of the car. She was taken to the local police station to be questioned by a police officer in her truck. Many people are reacting to what happened, and many are wondering why Çıtak was acting that way and why she didn't seem to care about police power. At this point, neither İbrahim Tatlıses nor Dilan Çıtak has made an official comment. As the study goes on, legal action is likely to follow.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jermain Defoe, 42, 'dating stunning recruiter 11 years his junior' - five months after split from Alisha LeMay
Former England ace Jermain Defoe is reportedly off the market - five months after his split from Alisha LeMay. The ex-Premier League star, 42, is said to be 'dating' recruiter Farran Tomlin - 11 years his junior, according to The Sun. The couple were reportedly seen last week relaxing in the British Airways First Class lounge at London Heathrow, ahead of their romantic escape to Bodrum, Turkey. A source told the publication: 'The pair were very loved-up and enjoying the perks of the lounge before their flight.' Turkish singer Dilek Sert Erdogan posted a snap of the couple at Hotel Bodrum, with the captioned: 'The amazing Jermain Defoe and his lovely wife Farran came to see our show. 'Even after I got off stage, they were still there… Turkish singer Dilek Sert Erdogan posted a snap of the couple at Hotel Bodrum 'Later, Farran messaged me saying: 'Jermain said: 'We have to stay afterwards - and let her know what an amazing voice she has.' How sweet is that?' 'We had a lovely little chat - they're such warm, genuine people. One by one they sparkle but together they shine!' MailOnline has contacted Jermaine's representative for comment. It comes just months after his split with Alisha, a year after their relationship was rocked by a cheating scandal. The footballer and influencer were first romantically linked in 2023, just weeks after he split from his wife-of-seven-months Donna Tierney. The couple made their red carpet debut in October 2023 and then sparked engagement rumours, after Alisha was spotted wearing a giant diamond on her ring finger. However, just days later Jermain was spotted with wedding planner Paige Mallabourn-Edmondson. It was reported in February 2024 that Alisha had given Jermain another chance and the pair headed on a 'make or break' holiday. But it seems that the last ditch attempt was unsuccessful, as a source told MailOnline that the pair have broken up. Jermain and Alisha made their last public appearance together in September, as they attended a 60th anniversary dinner for Chelsea restaurant Daphne's. The couple reportedly jetted to the Dominican Republic for a make-or-break holiday early last year after their relationship was rocked by a cheating scandal. At the time, sources claimed that despite vowing to give things another try, relations were still 'tense' after he was spotted kissing another woman. The footballer was reportedly aware he had 'a lot of work to do' to win back the influencer's trust. Pictures obtained by The Sun at the time showed Jermain and Alisha preparing to jet off on their Caribbean getaway, in a bid to reignite their romance. A source told the publication: 'To say things have been tense lately would be an understatement. 'Jermain knows he has a lot of work to do to make it up to Alisha but he has insisted he is committed to saving their relationship and has said he will do whatever it takes. 'He has been on the straight and narrow for the last few months since things went awry and hopes this trip will bring them closer together and prove his love for her.' After Jermain was seen out with Paige several times, Alisha took to Instagram at the time to post a message to her fans hinting at 'everything happens for a reason' and 'finding better', which was later deleted. The post read: 'Someday you'll realise that everything you've gone through was a blessing in disguise. 'Things didn't work out the way you expected them to because you were being prepared for something better, and all the restless nights wondering why everything happened to you will finally make sense.'
TTG
5 days ago
- Business
- TTG
Finalists revealed for first-ever Top 20 Luxury Travel Agencies
'We received almost 100 entries for the inaugural Top 20 Luxury Travel Agencies, which shows how keen these fantastic companies are to share their hard work, and contribute to creating a luxury travel community built on excellence,' said April Hutchinson, editor and publisher of TTG Luxury. 'We thank and respect everyone who took part in this process in its fledgling year, and the hard work continues now, as our shortlisted agencies will enter into the next judging phase, which includes a video interview.' All entrants will also receive a copy of the new Top 20 Luxury Travel Agencies Insight Report, offering unprecedented industry benchmarking and showcasing impactful trends among leading luxury agents. This new initiative sits under Day of Luxury, a dual event that combines TTG Media's successful one-to-one meetings event Luxpo during the day, followed by the networking and celebration elements of the Top 20 Luxury Travel Agencies in the evening. During Luxpo, agents will be able to meet a host of luxury suppliers, including Aqua Expeditions, Explora Journeys, Grecotel, ITC Travel Group, Lujo Hotel Bodrum, Oman Tourism, Visit Portugal and a collection of Luxury Ireland partners with Tourism Ireland, with many more to be announced. 'Shortlisted Top 20 agencies will be our priority guests for Luxpo, giving a range of luxury partners the chance to meet with the very best companies in the business,' added Hutchinson. 'All attendees will have the opportunity to mutually-match for their meetings too, giving them the opportunity to shape the day as they see fit.'
